Baby Steps
by VanessaAnnex3
Summary: Gabriella and Troy used to be high school sweethearts until she left him, claiming she had to move. Now, 4 years later, she has returned to Albuquerque. And, with a child.
1. Preview

**Here it is! Take a look at this sneak peek of "Baby Steps", premiering March 7th!**

_Troy grabbed his whiskey from the bar and turned around, glancing at the rehearsal dinner that was commencing at the hotel that evening. There was an entire banquet of fried, baked, and sauteed food. There was wine, champagne, soda, water, and hard liquor at the bar. That's all he needed._

_For the past four years, he had been keen on drinking heavily. It's not like he had a few drinks and then had a one night stand. He just liked to go to the bar every night. He had too much on his mind, so the liquor eased his thoughts. He didn't want to think about certain things._

_Like her._

_He grimaced as he drank his whiskey, slapping the bar gently. "Give me another."_

_He sighed and ran a hand through his fauxhawk, looking back around the atmosphere. People were dressed nicely in tuxedos and fine dresses, talking to each other and laughing. He adjusted his black tie, feeling pretty funky in his monkey suit. He didn't wear these often. The last time he really wore one was at his high school prom._

_"Damn it," he muttered, grabbing his whiskey and taking a big gulp of it. He left the glass on the counter and ventured away from the bar. He needed something lighter, but heavier to drown his thoughts. _

_He was heading towards the champagne when he accidentally bumped into somebody, accidentally sloshing some wine on the clear floor. He scoffed lightly and shook his head. "Sorry, that was my fault."_

_The person didn't speak._

_He glanced up to make sure they were okay when his words got caught in his throat, as well. This had to be a nightmare. Or a dream. Or something much worse. She couldn't be here. She couldn't be standing in front of him looking incredibly beautiful in a short and strapless gold dress that sparkled against her tan skin and highlighted her beautiful, black curls. _

_This couldn't be the girl that still appeared in his dreams, bringing him back memories of their love making and their kisses._

_"Gabriella," he murmured._

_Gabriella smiled nervously at Troy and gave him a slight wave. "Hi, Troy."_

_Troy immediately grabbed another person's whiskey and gulped it down, wincing at the fire. This was going to be a long evening._


	2. Chapter 1

_Summary: Gabriella and Troy used to be high school sweethearts until she left him, claiming she had to move. Now, 4 years later, she has returned to Albuquerque. And, with a child._

_Disclaimer: All characters, places, and references are purely affiliated to the High School Musical series. Everything you read is solely set for fictional and entertainment purposes._

* * *

_Baby Steps_

_Chapter One_

Gabriella stared at the roaming mountains that accented the main town of Albuquerque, New Mexico. It was the perfect view from the East High rooftop. In fact, everything about the rooftop was perfect. She glanced at it and smiled memorably. There were roses, lilies, sunflowers, bushels, and even more plants. It had all been decorated by the science club and lately, she and Troy had kept an eye on the plants to make sure they didn't wilt and die.

Her smile dropped when she thought of Troy.

He was her boyfriend of nearly four years, having started the relationship just as they entered their freshman year of high school. They had been through so much since then; first kisses, first dates, family dinners, first times, and even a few jealous moments. But, they had survived it all. They were already in their senior year and nearly graduating in a few months. She was so in love with him and he was so in love with her. They both knew it.

But, things were starting to change.

Lately, Gabriella had been feeling strange. She had been feeling sick and pale. At first, she believed it was just the flu. But, she knew it was something else. She didn't have a headache, she didn't have a stuffy nose, and she definitely didn't have a sore throat. Just an upset stomach.

But, how was she supposed to tell Troy? He had so many plans for his future. He always talked about going off to UCLA to play professional basketball. He wanted to play professionally and become a star. She wasn't going to ruin that for him. That's why she couldn't tell him. But, she has never lied to Troy. So, how was she even going to do this?

"Gabriella?"

She turned around to see Troy coming up the steps, smiling at her. He looked so good in his khaki shorts and Wildcat t-shirt. His perfect, wavy hair was even settled firmly against his forehead. His blue eyes were shining brightly, too. He was so beautiful.

That just made it even harder to do this.

Gabriella tried to smile. "Hey."

"So, what did you want to talk about? Your note seemed kind of urgent," said Troy, walking up to her.

He placed his hands on her waist and held her close. He was making it all so difficult. She wished he wouldn't touch her, but she lived for his touch. It was so amazing. She felt so safe. Would she even be safe after this?

"Troy, I have some...news." She couldn't even decide if it was good news or bad news. Probably both.

Troy furrowed his brows and looked at her, catching on to her hesitant tone. "What's wrong? Is it bad?"

"I don't know," she muttered. She walked out of Troy's arms and glanced back at the mountains. "Troy, I really don't know how to say this."

"Will just tell me? You're starting to scare me, baby." Troy cautiously walked towards her, his heart pounding. Something was wrong. He knew it.

Gabriella winced at the pet name and sighed. What was she supposed to say? Should she lie to him? But, she never lied to him before. Then again, this could ruin his future. She couldn't allow that to happen. She needed to protect him.

Protecting him was the one thing that was going to break her heart.

"Troy, I'm moving." She had to lie.

Troy let out a small chuckle and shrugged. "Okay. How far?"

"It's kind of out there. I think my mom said it was in California," said Gabriella. How was she coming up with all of this so easily?

"That's not too far. I'm going to UCLA this fall, so we will still be close. We can still be together," smiled Troy, putting his arms around her waist from behind. He snuggled his nose into her hair and kissed her head.

She couldn't take this anymore. She was going to have to break his heart, too. Immediately.

She pulled away from his embrace and scoffed, turning to face him. She didn't even realize that she had been crying. "Troy, no. It's too difficult, okay? I can't do a long distance relationship. I'm not even going to live near UCLA."

"Gabriella, we have gotten through so much already. We can make it through distance," said Troy. Why was she talking like this? It was scaring him. He didn't want to lose her.

She shook her head fiercely. "Troy, no. You don't get it. I can't..." She paused and exhaled. "I can't be with you anymore. Not like this."

Troy stopped talking, stopped breathing. He was sure that his heart had stopped beating, too. It was literally breaking. Gabriella was leaving because of little distance? It wasn't fair. She couldn't do this. They were in love, weren't they?

"Gabriella, I love you. You can't do this," murmured Troy.

Gabriella scoffed again. "I can and I just did. Troy, I can't do this anymore. You and me. The distance will never work. That's one thing we can't get through."

"Seriously?" Troy was starting to get upset. This was not the Gabriella he had known for years. They had played on the swings at the age of five when they first met. They had their first friendly kiss at the age of twelve. They made love for the first time at the age of sixteen. This was not her.

"Gabriella, stop this right now. I don't believe you," he started, pointing at her. "You would never leave me just because of distance. We are in love with each other. We both know that. And, we both know that there is something else wrong here. It's not just because of the distance, is it? The distance doesn't even exist, right? There's something else and I want the truth."

Gabriella stared at him, eager to tell him the truth. She wanted to tell him the honest to God truth. But, she was afraid. She was afraid he would leave his future just for her and what was happening to her. He would want to take responsibility, but she wouldn't let him. She couldn't.

"Troy, I don't want you with me anymore. I won't let you stay with me," she said through gritted teeth, her entire body trembling with nerves and tears.

Troy didn't know what else to say. He had just lost the love of his life, the woman he wanted to marry. Now what?

Gabriella watched him storm down the stairs and slam the door behind his back. Everything was silent now except for the sound of her tears and her heart shattering into pieces. Everything was over for both of them and Gabriella still wasn't sure if she made the right choice.

* * *

Gabriella opened her eyes, clutching her bed sheets tightly in her fists. She was calm, but she really wasn't. She had gotten used to this, though. She would wake up after having the same, truthful memory in her dreams. Then, she would stare at the ceiling for a while before she could actually get the courage to stand up out of bed. She would take her shower, have some breakfast, and then wake up her baby girl.

It had been four years since she made the mistake of her life by breaking up with Troy Bolton. Of course, she had lied to him. She still felt bad about it. She should have just told him that she was having his child.

But, she couldn't do that.

Now, he was probably playing professional basketball and living a happy life with some beautiful girl and a new family. Maybe he was married. And, she was fine with that. At least, she thought she was. She knew she should let go of the past. That's why they called it the past. You needed to let go of it.

But, she was not over Troy. He was the best guy she had ever had in her life. He was always gentle, kind, smart, and sexy. He knew how to make her laugh and he knew how to protect her.

That's why it made things harder for her. She had left him because she was scared to tell him the truth. She was afraid to tell him that she was having his child. But, she didn't want to ruin his future. That wouldn't be fair to him.

But, she wondered if things were still fair for both of them. They had been apart for four years. He still had no idea that she was the mother of his child. He didn't even know there was a child in the first place. The last time she spoke to Troy was when they had broken up. They even avoided each other at graduation.

Was it fair that Troy had no idea about his daughter?

"Mommy!"

Gabriella sat up and smiled, rubbing her messy hair. She watched as her four year old daughter ran into the bedroom in her Ariel nightgown, jumping on the bed with a big smile on her face.

"Mommy, pancake time!"

Gabriella giggled and kissed her daughter's cheek. "I remember, Marlena. Chocolate chip, right?"

"I don't know. I kind of want the kind that has the blue stuff in it," said Marlena, playing with a few strands of Gabriella's hair.

"Blueberries."

Gabriella smiled at her daughter. She had her long, black hair and olive skin. Though, her face spoke loudly of Troy's own face. She even had his amazing blue eyes. It was scary at times, but she was proud. Marlena looked exactly like the one person that still held a part of her heart. Though, that made it harder too.

"Let's go make pancakes," said Gabriella, getting out of bed and holding her hand as they raced down the hallway to the kitchen.

After high school, Gabriella went to a local college in Phoenix. She got her own apartment and stayed with her mother, who helped her raise her daughter for the first three years. Then, unexpectedly, her mother had gotten stage four cancer. In a matter of four months, Maria Montez had died from the illness. It had really hurt Gabriella, especially with the fact that she had to raise a three year old by herself and the fact that she didn't have anyone to be with. She didn't have her friends with her and she didn't have Troy.

It hurt, but she managed to continue on. She stayed in the apartment with the inheritance she received from her mother's will and continued to raise her daughter successfully. She wanted to contact her friends every day, but it was too hard. She didn't know what they thought of her.

Would they hate her?

Would they find her as a horrible person?

It was the same with Troy. She knew if she contacted him, he would curse her to Hell and back. He wanted nothing to do with her and she was sure of it. The way he had left was proof enough that he hated her. That probably hurt even more. He didn't love her anymore.

But, she loved him.

After whipping up a fresh batch of blueberry pancakes on the stove, she put a few on a plate and handed them to her daughter, watching as she smothered it with sugary syrup. She laughed quietly as she began cleaning up the dishes in the soapy sink.

Marlena licked syrup off her lips and stopped, looking at her mother. "Mommy, where is daddy?"

Gabriella stopped and closed her eyes. Marlena asked this question almost every week. She would ask where her daddy was or what he was doing today. Gabriella never had the right answer, though. She would say the same thing each time.

"Marlena, daddy is taking a vacation."

* * *

Troy finished off his second beer, clattering the mug on the counter as he sighed heavily. He glanced over at his friends with a small grin. "So, my old buddy is getting married."

Chad chuckled as he nodded, gesturing with his beer in the air. "Yeah, yeah. This is some bachelor party, by the way."

Troy looked around at the packed bar. He didn't even know these people. He looked at Chad, who was the only friend he knew at the moment. He chuckled. "Come on. We have good times in this bar."

"Yeah, I won't deny that." Chad chuckled under his breath. "It's pretty crazy that Taylor and I have been together since high school and we are getting married."

"High school sweethearts," said Troy, rolling his eyes as he accepted another beer. "What a stupid nickname."

Chad furrowed his brows. "What? You had a high school sweetheart. Don't forget that."

Troy glared at him. "I had no such thing, Chad." He took a big gulp of his beer, finishing the last of it. "I'm glad to be rid of her, though. Hell would have to freeze over before I'd ever talk to her again."

Troy hadn't spoken to Gabriella since the day she broke his heart. Since then, he had spiraled downward into a deep abyss. Sure, he went to UCLA like he planned. But, he never made it on the basketball team. For some reason, he began to miss every single shot since the break up. It was like Gabriella had been his lifeline and his luck.

Now, he was broken and without a future. He had a job working at the high school as a basketball coach now. He liked it, though. He was still close to basketball, but it wasn't the same if he wasn't playing. Plus, the memories at the high school got to be a little too much.

That's where the alcohol came in.

Chad stared at Troy and looked away, his mind running wild. Things had been rough since high school. He'd watch Troy drink away his sorrows and it wasn't healthy. Granted, they all hadn't spoken to Gabriella since high school. They figured she did move somewhere, but they thought there was something more. She wasn't the type of girl to leave without any notice afterward. Surely she would write?

With the help of Miss Montez, who had always wished Gabriella would keep in touch with her friends, Chad was able to find out Gabriella's address. He wanted Gabriella to come to his wedding so he sent her an invitation nearly four months ago. Then, one week ago, he had received a letter from Gabriella that confirmed she would be there. It was a short letter, though. He knew she was probably scared of what they thought of her.

Especially Troy.

Chad watched him order another beer and looked away, murmuring under his breath. "Hell's about to freeze over."

* * *

Taylor was busy cleaning things up around her house when she heard a knock on the door later that evening. She grinned excitedly, knowing exactly who it was. "Chad! She's here!"

Chad grinned as he came down the stairs, racing towards the front door. He opened it and immediately enveloped the girl in his arms. "Baby sister! Oh! We could never be mad at you! You know us better than that!"

Gabriella giggled as she hugged Chad tightly. "Big brother! Oh, I love you!"

Ever since grade school, Chad had been like a big brother to Gabriella. He protected her from bullies and even wiped her tears when she and Troy got into a stupid fight. He was the first person that she went to when she had problems with Troy or life in general.

Chad looked down to see a four year old sucking her thumb shyly and holding a teddy bear. He furrowed his brows in confusion. "Who is this?"

Gabriella's heart started to pound. They had no idea that she had been pregnant back then. She knew this would be a total shock for everybody. But, she just didn't know how to handle it.

"Chad, meet Marlena. She's my daughter," said Gabriella, chewing on her bottom lip.

Chad looked at Gabriella in shock. "A daughter?" He glanced over his shoulder. "Taylor, come in here!"

Taylor walked towards them with a smile on her face, which immediately fell when she spotted Marlena. "Woah."

Gabriella sighed and walked inside the house with her luggage. "Look, I know we need to talk about some things."

"Yeah. We do," said Taylor, shutting the front door.

Chad crossed his arms over his chest. "Gabriella, what happened? When did this happen?"

Gabriella sat on the couch and placed Marlena in her lap. "It was right before graduation."

"Wait a minute. You were pregnant in high school?!" exclaimed Taylor.

"Yes. I didn't know how to tell you guys. It was so confusing. I moved to Phoenix after graduation with my mother," started Gabriella, sighing. She soon delved deeper into the whole story about raising Marlena and her mother's death.

"Gabriella, I'm sorry to hear about your mother." Taylor rubbed her arm gently.

Chad sat next to Gabriella, clasping his hands together. "Me too, Gabriella." He paused. "Who is the father?"

Gabriella sighed and looked down. "Troy is the father."

It was silent for a few moments until Chad finally broke the silence. "Oh, wow. That is...wow."

"Does he know?" asked Taylor incredulously.

Gabriella simply shook her head.

"Gabriella, why doesn't he know about this?" asked Chad. For the first time, he was disappointed in her.

"I was afraid to tell him because I didn't want to ruin his future. That's why we broke up," said Gabriella, slowly stroking Marlena's hair as she slept in her lap.

Chad sighed. "We're glad you got our invitation for the wedding, but you need to tell Troy."

"That's the other reason why I came back to Albuquerque," started Gabriella, looking at her old friends. "Troy deserves to know the truth. Marlena deserves to know her father. I need to make things right. You think he is going to listen?"

"Well, I don't know." Chad chuckled nervously and rubbed the back of his neck. "He mentioned something about Hell freezing over."

Gabriella sighed. She suddenly figured this was going to be a lot harder than she thought.

* * *

Troy grabbed his whiskey from the bar and turned around, glancing at the rehearsal dinner that was commencing at the hotel that evening. There was an entire banquet of fried, baked, and sauteed food. There was wine, champagne, soda, water, and hard liquor at the bar. That's all he needed.

For the past four years, he had been keen on drinking heavily. It's not like he had a few drinks and then had a one night stand. He just liked to go to the bar every night. He had too much on his mind, so the liquor eased his thoughts. He didn't want to think about certain things.

Like her.

He grimaced as he drank his whiskey, slapping the bar gently. "Give me another."

He sighed and ran a hand through his fauxhawk, looking back around the the atmosphere. People were dressed nicely in tuxedos and fine dresses, talking to each other and laughing. He adjusted his black tie, feeling pretty funky in his monkey suit. He didn't wear these often. The last time he really wore one was at his high school prom.

"Damn it," he muttered, grabbing his whiskey and taking a big gulp of it. He left the glass on the counter and ventured away from the bar. He needed something lighter, but heavier to drown his thoughts.

He was heading towards the champagne when he accidentally bumped into somebody, accidentally sloshing some wine on the clear floor. He scoffed lightly and shook his head. "Sorry, that was my fault."

The person didn't speak.

He glanced up to make sure they were okay when his words got caught in his throat, as well. This had to be a nightmare. Or a dream. Or something much worse. She couldn't be here. She couldn't be standing in front of him looking incredibly beautiful in a short and strapless gold dress that sparkled against her tan skin and highlighted her beautiful, black curls.

This couldn't be the girl that still appeared in his dreams, bringing him back memories of their love making and their kisses.

"Gabriella," he murmured.

Gabriella smiled nervously at Troy and gave him a slight wave. "Hi, Troy."

Troy immediately grabbed another person's whiskey and gulped it down, wincing at the fire. This was going to be a long evening.


	3. Chapter 2

_Summary: Gabriella and Troy used to be high school sweethearts until she left him, claiming she had to move. Now, 4 years later, she has returned to Albuquerque. And, with a child._

_Disclaimer: All characters, places, and references are purely affiliated to the High School Musical series. Everything you read is solely set for fictional and entertainment purposes._

* * *

_Baby Steps_

_Chapter Two_

"Gabriella."

The way he said her name for the first time in four years, to her own ears, made her heart skip a beat. She looked him up and down, admiring the way he looked in his outfit. Over the years, he had definitely filled out more with his muscles. His hair was different, too. Instead of the floppy style, he had a fauxhawk. Most of all, his blue eyes looked even brighter.

Troy knew she was checking him out and honestly, it made him feel good. It made shivers run down his spine and it made his heartbeat pick up. But, he tried his best to ignore it. Why? He didn't even know. She was his high school sweetheart, but she had broken his heart.

Yet, she looked absolutely incredible.

"What are you doing here?" he asked her.

Gabriella glanced down at her toes and sighed softly, wringing her fingers together. "Well, it's kind of a long story." She paused for a moment and looked back at him. "I..."

"Mommy, mommy!"

Troy looked down to see a little girl with long, black hair and a ruffled, pink dress on with kid-friendly heels. He couldn't help but smile at her. She was the cutest looking child he had ever seen. What intrigued him the most was how she clutched on to Gabriella's leg once she noticed the man in front of her.

Gabriella smiled down at the girl. "Marlena, can you say hello to Troy?"

Marlena looked up at Troy shyly, but smiled. "Hi, Troy."

Troy chuckled lightly. "Hi, Marlena. That's such a pretty name."

"Thank you. My mommy gave me the name," said Marlena, suddenly grinning. "Doesn't my mommy look pretty today?"

Gabriella blushed and butted in before Troy could have a chance to respond. "Marlena, mommy needs to talk to Troy for a while. Why don't you go find Taylor?"

"Okay, Mommy. Bye, Troy!" smiled Marlena, running off to where Taylor was with Chad.

Troy smiled and then looked back at Gabriella, rubbing the back of his neck. "Uh, you want a drink?"

"Sure," nodded Gabriella. "Champagne?"

Troy got Gabriella a glass of champagne while he stuck with bourbon and whiskey. They slowly walked towards the balcony outside, not touching and not speaking. Once they got outside, they leaned against the railing. Their arms were barely touching, but they could feel their presence so clearly.

Gabriella looked up at the stars in the sky and sighed softly. "It's so nice out tonight. I almost forgot why I missed this town."

Troy glanced down at his drink. "You should have never left."

She chewed on her bottom lip nervously. She didn't want to get into any arguments with Troy, especially tonight. It was a special night for Taylor and Chad, and they didn't deserve an argument from the once upon a time couple.

Troy cleared his throat, breaking the silence. "So, where did Marlena come from?"

Gabriella's heart began to race, so she started out slow. She smirked. "Well, when a boy and a girl..."

Troy suddenly laughed and shook his head, turning around to lean against the railing. "Okay, Gabriella. Very funny. You and I both know how it works."

They both blushed at the comment. Gabriella continued. "I was pretty...young when she came along. But, she has been a blessing. She's really the light of my life. It's just been me and her for a while."

"Where's the father?" asked Troy curiously.

Gabriella stared at him for a few moments before responding quietly, not meeting his eyes. "He hasn't been around for her life."

"So, did you raise her by yourself?" asked Troy. On the inside, he was a little pissed off that Marlena's father hadn't been around for her whole life. Who wouldn't want to be around that little girl?

"No. My mom helped me raise her." Gabriella paused again, trying to keep her tears at bay. "She passed away not too long ago from cancer."

Troy gave her a somber look. He had gotten close to Maria when he and Gabriella dated. She had been like a second mother to him. To know that she was gone, it was pretty surreal. It wasn't just Gabriella that had missed out on things. He had missed out on some things, too.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

"It's okay. I'm still coping, but we've been doing okay." Gabriella shrugged nonchalantly.

"I'm glad," he murmured, looking away and down at his drink. He hadn't taken one single sip. It was strange, since he was so dependent on alcohol.

There was an awkward silence as they stood there together. Troy began thinking back to when they were alone for the last time. It wasn't too long before they would graduate and he was intending on doing the one thing no normal teenager should do during high school.

He was going to propose to her.

He had the ring in his pocket the entire week and he was even contemplating giving it to her that day on the roof. But, when she had broken his heart, it had taken him aback. He felt like his heart had literally been ripped into two pieces.

Now, here they were. And, he was feeling some things that he shouldn't even feel. He was feeling something familiar resurface, trying to fight through the wall that he had built all these years since she left. But, it wasn't really working. The wall seemed to be crumbling.

He smiled sadly. "I really loved you, Gabriella."

Gabriella looked at him in surprise. "I know. Me too."

He looked at her suddenly and turned his body to face her. "Then why did you break my heart four years ago? Do you know how that felt? We were together all through high school. We were in love. Damn, you were my first and I was yours."

Gabriella averted from his gaze and shook her head. She deserved this, but she definitely didn't expect it at this very moment. "Troy, you have to understand..."

"Understand what? How you ditched me? How you left me in the dust? How you made me hate you so much after that?" asked Troy, gritting his teeth with anger.

She choked back a sob, her voice breaking. "You...hate me?"

Troy sighed and rubbed his face, trying to calm down. "No. That's a lie. I could never hate you, Gabriella."

Gabriella needed to say it now. Either way, once she admitted the truth, he was definitely going to hate her. She could feel the tears rolling down her cheeks before she even had a second thought. She let out a sob as she dropped her champagne glass, letting it crash to the ground with her despair.

Troy stood in front of her, his shoes cracking on the glass. He held her hands and could feel them as they trembled. "Gabriella, what's wrong?" Without thinking, he wiped at her tears.

She exhaled a shaky sigh. "Troy, I need to tell you something important."

Troy nodded, still holding her hands. "Okay. I'm all ears."

Gabriella laughed silently. "You'd always say that when I needed to tell you something."

He smiled a crooked grin. "Just tell me."

"Here goes," she whispered, looking down at their hands. "Troy, I lied to you four years ago back on the rooftop."

Troy furrowed his brows, his heart picking up again. "You did?"

"I didn't mean to, but I was only trying to protect you. You were going to have such a bright future and I didn't want this to ruin it all for you. You have to believe that," she pleaded.

He didn't say anything. But, he could feel his heart rate picking up. He didn't know if it was a good thing or not.

This was it. "Troy, Marlena is four years old. She was born November fifth in 2008. She just had her birthday a week ago, of course."

"That's great. She looked about four or five," smiled Troy. He suddenly frowned curiously with furrowed brows. "Can you please just tell me? You're making me go nuts here."

Gabriella sighed and looked up at him, tears slowly going down her cheeks. "Troy, I found out I was pregnant with Marlena back in March of 2008, but I kept it a secret for about a month and a half. I even kept it a secret from the father." She paused and then whispered, "Until now."

Troy looked at her, wondering if he was dreaming. "What?"

"Troy, I didn't break up with you because I was leaving. In fact, I never wanted to break up with you. I was just scared. I wasn't leaving, either." She chewed on her bottom lip. "Troy, you're the father. Marlena is your daughter."

He let go of her hands and backed away, running his fingers through his hair in exasperation and shock. He didn't know if he should be happy or just cry. He wanted to do both. He wanted to be both happy and sad. He wanted to take Gabriella in his arms and spin her around happily, overjoyed with the fact that he was a father. Then, they would go home together with Marlena and spend each and every waking day happy.

But, he couldn't do that.

She lied to him for four years and had left him without knowing that he had a responsibility to a beautiful, little girl. She had left him in the dark for so long and he didn't like that. He couldn't accept that. Especially from Gabriella.

Gabriella, thinking that he didn't believe her, began to speak again. "She has your eyes, Troy. She looks so much like you that it's pretty overwhelming. And..."

"I can't believe you," murmured Troy.

"Excuse me?"

Troy chuckled dryly and shook his head. He wasn't faking his anger now. It was real. His wall stayed built inside. "I can't believe you did this to me. To us! Gabriella, how in the hell could you lie to me like that? What? Did you think that I wouldn't want to be a part of her life?!"

"That's not it!" she shouted back, glaring at him incredulously. "You had a bright future ahead of you in basketball and I was _not _going to let anything stop you from reaching that future."

"To hell with my future in basketball. _You _were my future!" exclaimed Troy, shaking his head. "Did you know that I wanted to propose to you at graduation?"

"P...propose?" stammered Gabriella, exhaling heavily.

"I was going to do it during graduation, but I didn't want to wait that long. So, I was going to do it there. But then, you threw that shit in my face about you moving. And, you _broke _my _heart_!" he screamed, getting closer to her.

Gabriella began to shrink back, trying her hardest not to cry. "How was I supposed to know you were going to do that, Troy?!"

"Because I was in love with you!" shouted Troy, getting an inch away from her body. "I could care less about that now. You completely ruined my life and my future. Now, you can get out of my life for good. I don't want you here. And, I don't want Marlena here."

"Mommy!" Marlena ran to Gabriella, who was completely in tears at Troy's outburst.

Gabriella picked up Marlena and smiled sadly through her tears. She was holding Troy's daughter, who he didn't want. "Hey, baby."

Marlena glared at Troy. "I heard you yelling at my mommy. You're a bad man and I hate you!"

Troy was honestly taken aback by this four year old's outburst. It hurt even more than when Gabriella left him. This was his daughter and, now that he took a good look at her, she looked exactly like him. She had his eyes and the only thing she had of Gabriella's was her hair and skin. He didn't even mean what he said. He wanted Marlena here and he wanted Gabriella here. But, he was just so angry and he didn't know what to think anymore. Here was his high school sweetheart and his daughter at the same time in one night.

Now, his daughter hated him and so did Gabriella. More than likely, of course.

Gabriella shook her head at Troy and rushed out of the atmosphere with Marlena. He watched her leave, seeing Chad come towards him confused and surprised. He kept watching Gabriella's fading footsteps even when Chad stood in front him.

"What the hell just happened?" asked Chad.

"Have you met Marlena yet?" asked Troy, finally looking at him.

Chad smiled and laughed lightly. "Yeah. She's cute. Why?"

Troy sighed with furrowed brows. "She's my daughter."

Chad's smile dropped as he stared at Troy in shock, though he looked away. "No shit?"

"Yeah. That's why Gabriella broke up with me." Troy shrugged. "Well, she said she didn't want to break up with me. But, she was over a month pregnant when she and I broke up. She kept it a secret and left me. Chad, I've been absent from my child's life for four years and I just found out five minutes ago that she was my child."

"Damn. I'm sorry, man. But, she's here now. Why not take the opportunity to be with her again?" suggested Chad.

Troy chuckled dryly and darkly. "Oh, yeah. It's just that easy."

Chad sighed softly. "Troy, I need to tell you something. When Gabriella came to our place earlier, she told us that Marlena is your daughter."

He looked at his friend in a new light and grimaced. "You knew and you didn't tell me? What the hell, Chad?!"

"Look, don't get angry at me or Gabriella. She's wanted to tell you for quite some time, but she didn't know how to." Chad shook his head. "You can't shut her out."

"Oh yeah?" Troy finally gulped down his drink and inwardly growled as the fire went down his throat. "Watch me."

Chad watched as he went back inside and out the exit. He shook his head and sighed heavily, looking up at the sky. "Nice night."

* * *

**I apologize for the late update! Last night, my entire power went out and before that, I was busy with epic spring cleaning. Now, I can actually relax! I'll see you guys next week!**


	4. Chapter 3

_Summary: Gabriella and Troy used to be high school sweethearts until she left him, claiming she had to move. Now, 4 years later, she has returned to Albuquerque. And, with a child._

_Disclaimer: All characters, places, and references are purely affiliated to the High School Musical series. Everything you read is solely set for fictional and entertainment purposes._

* * *

_Baby Steps_

_Chapter Three_

Weddings were meant to be a wondrous occasion. It was the day for family and friends to watch their two favorite people join together in a symbolic ceremony. Afterward, everybody would join together in a reception hall or a big tent to dance and properly congratulate the new married couple. There would be laughter, drinks, smiles, and fun. Everyone would be happy.

Only one person at the Danforth wedding was not happy.

Troy Bolton grabbed his glass of whiskey from the bar, being his third already, and took a sip as he growled inwardly at the fire. He watched as a few guests mingled while they waited for the wedding to begin.

It was warm enough that the wedding was actually outside of a cathedral that held a beautiful garden with a white gazebo, and a small labyrinth maze. Nearly 100 chairs were laid out in a perfect order in front of the gazebo with a minister going over his lines before the wedding started. A few of the guests were already seated and mingling. One best man was even practicing where he should stand.

Troy didn't want to be best man. For the past four years, he had been in a funk. He didn't feel like a best man and he didn't want to be one. Not that he didn't find Chad as a best friend, but it just wasn't in his heart. He should blame Gabriella, but it was hard for him. He wanted to so badly, but his heart kept telling him to shut up and realize that there were still longing feelings for her.

He took another drink of his whiskey at the thought and shook his head. His heart was being crazy. His gut and his brain were telling him to forget about Gabriella because she had broken his heart and had kept him away from Marlena for the past four years.

He started to smile when he thought about Marlena. She was such a beautiful, little girl. Yes, she looked exactly like him, but she had the personality of Gabriella. It was pretty calming to remember that side of Gabriella.

Now, things were different. He and Gabriella were not together anymore and he wasn't sure if they ever would be together again. It's not like she was staying in Albuquerque, anyway. She'd be gone after the wedding and then he would never see her again.

And, he would never see Marlena again.

He had only met the girl once and he was already in love with her. She was such a lively four year old and she was the spitting image of both of them put together. It was surreal that he was a father at twenty two, but things happened. He and Gabriella had made this creation and Marlena came into the world for a reason. He wanted to be her father, but she hated him. Then again, she was a four year old. Surely, she wouldn't hate him for life. Right?

He suddenly braced himself when a blonde fireball in pink came towards him with an unhappy glare. Sharpay Evans had been his friend in high school and she still was today. But, she still had the fire in her whenever it was necessary. For some reason now, it was necessary.

"What did you do?" she demanded, putting her hands on her hips.

Troy furrowed his brows. "What?"

"Gabriella." She scoffed lightly. "Troy, Gabriella is still my friend. How could you treat her like that?"

He rolled his eyes and casually took a sip of whiskey. "What do you even mean?"

"Why are you such an ass, Troy? You used to be in love with her and I wouldn't be surprised if you still are. But, that doesn't give you the right to treat her like trash," explained Sharpay. "Plus, you are the father of her child."

"Great. You know too?" Troy chuckled dryly. "Announce it to the whole world."

"Are you ashamed of Marlena?" alleged Sharpay, giving him a pointed look.

"No!" exclaimed Troy, glaring at her. "That little girl is pretty amazing."

Sharpay sighed and crossed her arms over her chest. "Troy, this isn't you. You haven't been you for four years and we all know why. It's no secret, you know? But, you can't keep acting like this. It's going to cause great harm later on."

Troy sneered at her. "Sharpay, enough. Gabriella and Marlena aren't going to be here after the wedding is over. So, what's the point? I'll never see her again. She doesn't want me and I don't want her."

He walked away from Sharpay once the music began to start and sat down by himself. She shook her head and walked to her own seat far away from Troy. He suddenly glanced up when he saw Gabriella and Marlena walking towards their respective seats, which happened to be a few rows away from him.

She was wearing a little black dress with red ruffles at the bottom and no straps. Her hair was down straight and she wore barely any makeup. Marlena even seemed to match her, too. Bottom line, they both looked gorgeous and he was having a hard time staying in his seat. He wanted to go up to them and apologize like hell. He wanted to be with them and be a family together.

Gabriella took one look at Troy and his whiskey glass and shook her head in disgust. She kept her attention at the front of the gazebo as the music got louder. Everybody stood up as the wedding began, bringing down the bridesmaids and the groomsmen. Somewhere during the ceremony and the vows, Gabriella's eyes went to Troy's. And, he was staring at her too. It was a look that felt so familiar, too. She suddenly felt like she was back in high school when everything was good and she was with Troy.

Troy stared at Gabriella's beautiful face and suddenly smiled, getting caught up in some sort of moment. He watched as she gently caressed Marlena's fingers in her palm as the little girl became entranced by the vows that Chad spoke towards Taylor. Yet the whole time, Gabriella's eyes were kept on his own.

As Taylor and Chad kissed each other, the applause sounded throughout the entire spectacle. All the while, Gabriella and Troy kept their eyes on each other. His fingers were no longer holding his whiskey as he had the sudden urge to walk over to her and hold her hand. Gabriella took in a deep breath as she felt her heart pound once Troy's stare gazed over her body.

He still made her body quiver with want for his own body.

Gabriella was broken from her trance when one of the bridesmaids came over to her and led her towards the reception tent. She took one last glance at Troy before taking Marlena towards the party. Troy watched her leave and shook his head, suddenly hating himself for almost getting wrapped up in the fantasy that would never happen again.

"What a joke," he muttered to himself, grabbing his glass and walking towards the one place in the reception tent.

The bar.

* * *

Gabriella sat at the reception table by herself, watching as Marlena and Chad dancing in a silly fashion. They were surrounded by other guests who danced to the tune of Frank Sinatra. She laughed as Chad picked her up by the waist and spun her around, pretending like she was an airplane. Marlena giggled as she told Chad to go faster and faster. It was amazing how quickly Marlena took to Chad.

She suddenly frowned, thinking about Troy and Marlena's relationship. She was close to having them form a bond at the rehearsal dinner, but then Marlena told Troy she hated him. She hated him because Troy yelled at her and made her cry. It wasn't really a valuable reason for Marlena to hate Troy, but she couldn't blame her. She was only four. She didn't really understand the different between hate and love.

Why had Troy looked at her during the ceremony? It brought a shiver down her spine as it brought back the high school days when she and Troy were in love. Granted, she still did love him. It's not like she ever stopped. Hell, she still dreamed about their days together. Those memories were stuck with her forever and that wasn't going to go away.

She stared at her wine glass and sighed, trailing her finger along the rim. It was pretty depressing to be at a wedding, considering she had just learned that Troy had wanted to propose to her that day on the roof. If she had told him the truth, they would be happily married and living in a beautiful house together. Instead, they were both alone and unhappy. It wasn't fair.

And, it was all her fault.

"Gabriella?" Sharpay came over to the table with Taylor, concerned for their friend.

Gabriella looked up at them and smiled at her old friends. "Hey."

They both sat down on each side of Gabriella with furrowed brows. Taylor put her hand on her shoulder. "What's the matter? You're not really interacting much."

"I'm sorry," murmured Gabriella, sighing softly. "I've just been thinking a lot since I got back. Especially since last night."

"Chad told us about what happened," said Sharpay, rolling her eyes. "Troy is such a jerk."

Gabriella chewed on her bottom lip nervously, wondering if she should reveal this. "Guys, he told me something last night in the middle of it all."

"What is it?" asked Taylor curiously.

She paused for a moment. "He told me that he had been carrying a ring on that day. He was going to propose to me during graduation, but he had wanted to do it that very day instead because he didn't want to wait any longer."

"What?!" exclaimed both Sharpay and Taylor.

Sharpay laughed dryly. "Are you kidding me? Why didn't you say anything when we spoke a few hours ago?!"

"I didn't know what to say. I'm still in shock over it," she started. "This has been the hardest time ever for me. I mean, after last night, Marlena told Troy she hated him. Now, they'll never bond with each other."

"That's not true. You have to give them time," said Taylor. "Besides, if they do start to bond, then what are you going to do?"

"It's not like you are still in love with him," scoffed Sharpay, taking a sip of her champagne.

Gabriella stayed silent and looked down at her lap, wringing her fingers together. Sharpay and Taylor waited for her to agree, but finally realized that she was disagreeing.

Sharpay gasped. "You _are_?!"

"Why don't you tell him?" Taylor shook her head in disbelief.

Gabriella scoffed. "Really? You expect me to go and tell him that I am still in love with him? He doesn't love me anymore, okay? It'd be a waste of time."

Suddenly, there were a few shouts and some glass breaking up ahead. The girls and some of the guests looked up to see Troy arguing with the bartender, who seemed to be attempting to refuse service because he was too drunk. And, he was. Troy was practically falling over his feet as he left the bar in aggravation. He was walking towards the exit, more like stumbling.

"Surely he doesn't plan on driving himself," murmured Gabriella, standing up.

"What are you doing?" asked Sharpay.

"I'm still in love with him, Sharpay. Just because he doesn't want anything to do with me doesn't mean I should sit here and let him die from stupidity," explained Gabriella.

She left the table and rushed towards Troy before he reached his car. She grabbed his arm and turned him around, looking at his disheveled face. "What the hell do you think you are doing? Are you stupid? Driving home drunk?"

Troy rolled his eyes and laughed. "Please. What do you care?"

"Really, Troy? Just because we are on the outs doesn't mean I don't still..." She paused, carefully choosing her words. "...care about you."

"Sure you do. Just like I still care about you?" he started shouting, getting closer to her.

Gabriella furrowed her brows as he slowly got closer. "What?"

"Gabriella, I'm not mad at you. I'm a little frustrated, but I'm not mad at you. I have a daughter. _We _have a beautiful daughter," he started, suddenly holding her hands.

"Troy, what are you doing?" asked Gabriella, staring at their hands. Though it sent shivers throughout her body to feel his touch, it was for the wrong reasons. He was drunk and he would never remember this.

He suddenly laughed and let go of her hands, waving them around erratically as he continued to speak. "You know what? I can't believe you even came back. When we broke up, I was so angry with you that I was so prepared to let you go and erase you from my mind."

Suddenly, things were going even worse. She shook her head as the familiar tears began to form. "Troy, you're talking crazy."

"_I'm _crazy? _I'm crazy_?!" He laughed again, causing a few guests and Chad to come outside to see what was going on. "_You_ are crazy, Gabriella. You're crazy to even think that I'd still love you." He suddenly paused, getting closer to her again. "No, I take that back. Maybe I am the one that is crazy, in fact. I'm crazy to think that you'd ever take me back."

He was barely making sense. Gabriella started to back away. "Troy, I'm going to get someone to drive you home. You're not..."

Troy suddenly grabbed her shoulders and planted his lips over her own. He was practically moving her around and around as he slobbered over her mouth in a drunken fashion. To Gabriella, this was not some romantic notion. This was one big mistake that was disgusting and scary. Troy was drunk and he wasn't making any sense. If they were to ever kiss again, it was supposed to be romantic.

Not like this, though.

He suddenly pulled her too hard towards him, causing her to trip over her heels and fall over in the grass with a shout. Her hair became tangled with a few weeds as she struggled to stand up, clutching on to Chad's hand as he helped her up. Troy wasn't watching. He was busy staring at the sky and humming a show tune from the 1960's.

Gabriella brushed off some grass from her dress and glared at Troy, immediately refusing to speak with him. He was being a complete jackass and the idea of him and Marlena bonding was out the window. If he was going to be a stupid drunk, then she didn't want him around.

Chad handed Gabriella off to Sharpay and Taylor. "Girls, can you take her and Marlena to the house? Taylor, I'll be there soon."

"Sure," murmured Sharpay, walking away with Gabriella and Taylor while muttering incoherent thoughts about Troy and his attitude.

Chad walked over to Troy and gripped him by the bicep with a hard glare. "What the fuck is going on with you, Troy?"

Troy furrowed his brows at him and scoffed noisily. "I don't know what you are talking about. Am I not allowed to have fun at a party?"

"Not when your high school sweetheart is here with _your _child. Do you even know what you just did?" asked Chad. When Troy didn't answer, he spoke again. "You just forced yourself on to Gabriella and made her fall down. She's never going to trust you with Marlena."

It was as if Troy barely registered anything that Chad had said. He simply clutched his stomach and vomited in the grass, groaning. "Oh, God. Fuck..."

Chad rolled his eyes and put Troy's arm around his shoulder, leading him over to the car. "Let's get you home."

* * *

Gabriella came out of the bathroom dressed in a pair of sleep shorts and a long shirt. Truth be told, it was Troy's shirt. He had given her is treasured Wildcat basketball t-shirt that showcased the major championship win for his freshman year. She had kept it because it was too sentimental to her. He had always been proud of the day and she had no doubt that he was still proud. His scent was gone, but she still liked to wear it.

She wrapped her wet hair in a tight bun as she walked towards the kitchen to get some coffee. She stopped in her tracks when she saw Chad putting a blanket over a passed out Troy. His mouth was slightly open and he had circles under his eyes. It was really pitiful and sad.

Chad looked up at her and shrugged, speaking in a low voice. "His place is too far away. He passed out when I got him in the car and I didn't really want to leave him alone."

"No, I understand." Gabriella nodded and crossed her arms over her chest, still looking at Troy.

Chad glanced at her shirt, remembering who the original owner was. He looked at her sadly. "Gabriella, I can't tell you whether or not Troy will want you back."

"What makes you say I want him back?" asked Gabriella, trying to act nonchalant about it.

Chad smirked slowly. "Gabriella, I have known you for years. You're still in love with him. We can all see it." He paused, glancing at Troy. "He's still in love with you, too. We've been seeing it for the past four years."

Gabriella's breath caught in her throat at the confession, but she shook her head. "No. Even if you saying it is true doesn't mean it's true from Troy's own mind. Unless he decides to quit being immature, then we'll see what we can do. But, if he is going to be like this..." She gestured to his body. "...then I don't want him around my daughter."

"Is she asleep?" asked Chad.

She nodded. "Yeah. She went to bed right when we got here. Taylor is waiting for you in bed, too."

"Okay." Chad walked over to her. "Gabriella, I know we haven't really been connected a lot, but I still care about you. We all do and we respect what you had to do. But, we can't help you and Troy get back together. We're not in high school anymore."

Gabriella nodded and accepted his goodnight hug and kiss on the cheek as he walked away towards the bedroom. She looked at Troy and went to the other side of the couch. He turned over so he was facing the coffee table, still asleep. She sat on the coffee table and cautiously raised her hand, gently brushing her fingers against his forehead.

"Oh, Troy. Why can't you just realize that you have a family that loves you so much?" she murmured.

He was barely awake. He didn't move a muscle except when he breathed in and out. She placed her lips on his cheek gently before walking out of the room and to her guest room next to Marlena's room. As she got ready for bed, she began to think back to what Chad had said and realized he was right. If Troy wanted her and wanted to be a part of the family, then he had to make the effort. She couldn't have help from her friends. They were adults now, not teenagers.

They weren't in high school anymore.


	5. Chapter 4

_Summary: Gabriella and Troy used to be high school sweethearts until she left him, claiming she had to move. Now, 4 years later, she has returned to Albuquerque. And, with a child._

_Disclaimer: All characters, places, and references are purely affiliated to the High School Musical series. Everything you read is solely set for fictional and entertainment purposes._

* * *

_Baby Steps_

_Chapter Four_

Troy had to be in a zoo. Otherwise, why else would an elephant be sitting on his head?

Either that or he had a ridiculous hangover.

He struggled to open his eyes, groaning as sunlight threatened to kill his eyesight once and for all. He peered one eye open, seeing a mug of steam being thrust into his face. He glanced up to see Chad staring at him with a wary smile as he wore a casual suit.

"Good morning, sunshine."

"Fuck you," murmured Troy. He sat up, holding his head in pain. "What the hell is that?"

"Coffee," said Chad.

Troy sighed and took it. He was feeling a bit thirsty, anyway. He took a sip and immediately coughed in disgust. "Gross!"

"Black coffee. Dude, you have a hangover." Chad shook his head, walking into the kitchen.

Troy stood up, stretching out his back. He finally noticed that he was still wearing his suit from the wedding. Why, though? He went into the kitchen with furrowed brows. "What happened?"

Chad leaned against the counter. "Do you really want to know?"

"Yeah. I'd like to know why it feels like I just woke up from death," commented Troy. He took another sip of his coffee and grimaced.

"Where do I start?" Chad paused. "Some people said they spotted you going crazy at the bar. You tried to bribe the bartender and you left with alcohol. You were planning on drinking and driving, but Gabriella stopped you."

"Gabriella?" Troy couldn't help but sneer at her name, though it felt truly false.

"Yeah. She tried to stop you and you just babbled drunkenly. I came out there and you had attempted to kiss her. Instead, you basically pushed her to the ground after grabbing at her. Bottom line, she doesn't want you around Marlena or her," explained Chad.

Troy felt like a jackass. This was his problem with alcohol. He got out of control, but never like this. It came back to him in fuzzy images, but he nearly remembered hurting Gabriella. She told him to stay away from Marlena. That hurt even more. His daughter hated him and now Gabriella didn't want him around.

He was a crappy father.

A door suddenly opened and Troy watched with red touching his cheeks as Gabriella walked out with Marlena. It didn't help that she looked incredibly gorgeous along with their daughter. She walked right passed Troy and left him and Chad alone, slamming the door behind her.

"Where is she going?" asked Troy.

"She is having lunch with the girls," he said. "Troy, you really need to shape up."

"Forget that, Chad. Why didn't you tell me she was staying here during her visit?" asked Troy, glaring at him.

"Where else is she going to stay?" asked Chad, furrowing his brows.

"I don't know. How about a hotel? It's this building where people stay if they aren't going to be here permanently," said Troy, adding sarcasm and anger to his tone.

Chad scoffed. "Troy, Gabriella is our friend. I offered our home to her. I wasn't going to let her stay in a hotel. Plus, her stay isn't temporary."

Troy stared at him for a moment, registering what he had just said. "Excuse me? I didn't quite catch that. She is staying here _permanently_?"

"Yes, she is. Obviously, she realizes what she did was wrong. We all forgave her. Why can't you? She is the one that bred your child," explained Chad.

"Don't even go there, Chad." Troy waved his hand in the air with exasperation. "I don't have to forgive. She broke my heart. She left me and she lied to me. She doesn't deserve my forgiveness."

"You still love her, though. We all know you do."

Troy skipped that comment and continued. "I don't have to forgive her. I don't plan on it, anyway."

"What about Marlena?" asked Chad, crossing his arms over his chest. "She needs your forgiveness. No, scratch that. _You _need _her _forgiveness. She isn't your biggest fan, but she came here with Gabriella for a reason. She wants a father. She needs her father. Apparently, she has asked about you every single day since she could talk."

Troy stayed silent as he looked away. He tried to ignore his words, but they kept running through his brain on repeat. Chad was right, but he didn't want to admit it out loud. Not yet. He wanted to be a father to Marlena. He wasn't sure about earning back Gabriella's good graces, but he wanted to earn Marlena's back.

He needed to.

* * *

Gabriella was miserable. Even while having lunch with the girls, she was still miserable. She was barely talkative and all of her smiles were fake. She didn't feel like talking and she didn't even enjoy the fact that Taylor and Sharpay played with Marlena in the park.

It was Troy's fault.

He had been a complete jackass last night and she just couldn't forgive that. He had pushed her and he was basically a danger to her and Marlena. He didn't deserve to be around them. Hell, he didn't deserve to be a father.

She was still in love with him, though. But, she couldn't forgive him. Her body wouldn't allow it. But, her heart told her to forgive him. Her heart was being stupid, according to her brain. If Troy kept drinking like this, then he wasn't worth loving. He wasn't worth keeping.

Though, she felt it was a lie.

She loved him and she couldn't deny that feeling. It was fighting with her brain and her gut. Her heart was fighting.

After a boring lunch and a lousy park trip, Gabriella finally arrived home to find Troy in the kitchen. He was making dinner and, taking in the smell, she got the uneasy feeling that he was making her favorite dinner like he always used to.

He turned to glance at her and gave a small smile. "Hey."

She took in his appearance. He looked much better. He obviously had taken a shower as she could smell his favorite shampoo and body wash. He was wearing a pair of blue jeans and a white button down. He looked incredibly sexy, but she needed to forget that.

"Hi. Where are Taylor and Chad?" she asked curiously, letting Marlena run into the living room.

Troy watched as Marlena sat in front of the coffee table to color a picture. He looked back at Gabriella. "They went out for a while. I think they said something about planning for their honeymoon in a few days."

"Oh." She paused. "So, it's just you and me?"

"And our daughter," said Troy.

Gabriella faltered, but nodded. She crossed her arms over her chest. "What are you making?"

"Spicy chicken with pesto pasta," he said simply.

"You remember my favorite." Gabriella walked over to him, but kept her distance.

"Of course. I remember everything." He paused. "You remember in sophomore year when we went on that field trip to the science center?"

"Yeah. We became rebels and snuck off to do our own thing," she giggled.

"We pretty much made out in every spot we went to. It was still fun," chuckled Troy, shaking his head. He remembered that day perfectly, especially the numerous boners he got.

Gabriella sobered and looked away, sighing. "How do you feel?"

"Better. Chad made me drink black coffee," he shuddered. "I like it…"

"…with two creams and one sugar," finished Gabriella shyly.

"You remembered," he murmured with a small smile. He stirred the spicy sauce for the chicken and edged the ladle towards her. "Here. Be my taste tester."

"Okay." She cautiously leaned forward and tasted it before smacking her lips playfully. "Not spicy enough."

He smiled at her, feeling the tension from her body. She wasn't comfortable with him, but she was still attracted to him. He could see it in her eyes. No doubt he was still attracted to her. She was gorgeous and she always would be. But, things needed to change if he was going to win her back.

If he even did want her back. He still wasn't sure.

"Gabriella, we need to talk," he said.

"I know we do. Last night?" she guessed.

"I was a…" He glanced at Marlena and lowered his voice. "…dick last night. You didn't deserve that from me."

"What happened to you, Troy?" asked Gabriella, shaking her head. "Even in high school, you barely drank but one beer. Now, you are drinking it religiously."

He sighed. He wasn't going to lie to her. "Once you left, I took up drinking like that. It helped me hide the pain of my heartbreak."

Gabriella looked down, feeling pretty lousy that she was to blame for his drinking. "I didn't want you to be that way."

"You should have never left me. You should have told me the truth. We could be married right now in a wonderful house with Marlena. We'd be in love," he explained.

She paused, considering his words. "So, you don't love me anymore?"

"Do you?" asked Troy.

She wasn't going to lie. No more lies from her mouth that was for sure. She didn't even hesitate. "Yes. I've never stopped loving you."

Troy sighed heavily, running his hand through his hair. No more lies, right? "I love you too, Gabriella. I doubt that is going to go away. It's tattooed on my heart, even after all this time."

"So, what does this mean for us?" asked Gabriella, tentatively getting closer to him. She didn't know what she was doing, but she soon realized that she was running her hands along his chest. He still felt amazing.

Troy's breath caught in his throat as he stared into her eyes. Their lips were so close to touching. He wanted to kiss her. Last night didn't count. She deserved a sober kiss and a passionate kiss. He wanted to give that to her all day and all night.

But, he couldn't.

He gently removed her hands from his chest, backing away. "I don't trust you enough to get back together with you, Gabriella. It takes some time. My heart…is not ready."

Gabriella laughed a broken sound, looking away from him as she blushed. "I feel ridiculous."

"Don't. I still love you. I want to get to know Marlena, but I don't trust you yet," he explained gently.

She looked towards Marlena and smiled gently at him. "Go play with her."

He furrowed his brows. "Me? Are you sure?"

"Yeah. Get to know your daughter, Troy. She has missed her daddy."

Troy felt tears brim his eyes as he nodded. He glanced at the food. "Can you take over? It's only fifteen more minutes."

"I got it." She lightly pushed him. "Go."

Troy walked over to Marlena and sat down next to her, admiring how she came up to his shoulders. She was so little, just like Gabriella. "Hey."

Marlena looked at him, pressing her lips together. "Hi."

"I'm sorry." He paused. She didn't really know that he was her father completely. She just knew him as Gabriella's friend. "I promise to never hurt you or your mommy again. Can you forgive me?"

Marlena couldn't hide her smile once Troy gave her the puppy dog eyes. She handed him a yellow crayon. "Do you want to help me draw a picture for mommy? I need a sun."

"I'd love to, sweetheart."

Gabriella watched them color together and bond, her breathing becoming shaky. It was incredible how she looked like her father. She would need to fully explain how Troy was her father, but she would do that with Troy in the room. She smiled at the sight before returning her attention to the food.

* * *

Troy stared through the crack as Marlena slept in the bed later that evening. Gabriella walked back to him after putting their daughter to bed and smiled, shutting the door behind her. "She's sound asleep."

"God, she's beautiful. She is so smart, too. I asked her what 2 + 2 was and she was able to tell me. She could even recite the alphabet," he said, glancing at Gabriella with a smile. He pointed at her playfully. "She definitely got that from you."

Gabriella giggled as she and Troy walked into the kitchen. She grabbed the messy plates and began to wash them, sighing and yawning.

Troy helped dry the dishes, watching her. "I'm sorry I wasn't there to help. I can't imagine how tired you always were."

"It's okay." Gabriella looked at him. "We have time to make up for that."

He smiled and nodded. "I kind of don't want to go home tonight."

"You don't have to," said Gabriella, a twinge of hope reaching her voice.

Troy wanted to stay with Gabriella. He wanted to sleep next to her in bed. He wanted to make love to her again and just hold her. He wanted to help her tend to Marlena if she had a bad dream or just woke up needing to go to the bathroom. He wanted to make breakfast for his girls in the morning.

But, he couldn't. Not yet.

"I should be getting home, though. It's getting late," he murmured.

Gabriella nodded and sighed, pretending it didn't hurt. "Okay. Let me walk you to the door."

They made sure to take their time when they reached the door. Gabriella opened and leaned against the door frame, staring at Troy. "Well, I guess I'll be seeing you."

Troy scratched behind his ear awkwardly. "Chad told me you are staying here permanently."

"I am. I want to get back to my roots," she said.

"Are you looking for a place?" he asked curiously.

She nodded. "Yes. I actually made an appointment with a realtor tomorrow to look at a house."

Troy knew this was risky, but he really wanted to see her again. "Can I go with you?"

"You want to?" It surprised her.

"Yeah," he shrugged, smiling crookedly. It made her heart melt. "I personally want to give the house a stamp of approval if my daughter and her mother are living there."

She giggled, sending his heart into a frenzy. She was so cute. "Okay. I'm leaving here at eleven."

"I'll be here," he nodded.

They stood there in silence. Troy was dying to kiss her at that moment. It's not like a kiss goodnight was illegal for them to do. It would be simple and as friendly as possible. He stared at her lips, preparing to lean forward.

"Whoa." Chad appeared at the doorway with Taylor, staring at the estranged couple and their closeness. "Are we interrupting?"

"No way," said Troy, clearing his throat. "I better get going. I'll see you tomorrow."

Gabriella watched him leave, discreetly admiring his backside. Damn, he still got it.

Taylor captured Gabriella's attention. "Staring much?"

She looked at her and scoffed nonchalantly. "What? No."

Chad and Taylor walked in, watching as Gabriella began cleaning up the living room. She was trying to act casual, but her entire body was hot and bothered. Something had happened while they were gone.

"Talk to us," said Chad.

"Nothing happened. Troy and I just talked about last night, he colored with Marlena, all three of us had dinner, and we put her to bed. No big deal," she explained, waving her hand casually in the air.

"_Dinner_?" Taylor laughed. "Oh, Chad. We were right. They can't handle being alone."

"What are you talking about?" asked Gabriella.

"You and Troy still have hot feelings for each other. Did you guys have sex?" she asked with a smirk.

"No!" exclaimed Gabriella, scoffing. "Jeez, Taylor!"

They watched as Gabriella left the room in a huff, knowing that they were on to something. Gabriella never freaked out over something like that unless it was true. Something was definitely going on with Troy and Gabriella.

* * *

**I apologize for the lateness of this chapter. My Microsoft Word was having some weird seizure. Like, the spell check box kept appearing and it wouldn't go away. I'd click 'Ok' or 'Cancel' and it would keep popping up. Crazy! I need a new laptop. For real!**


	6. Chapter 5

_Summary: Gabriella and Troy used to be high school sweethearts until she left him, claiming she had to move. Now, 4 years later, she has returned to Albuquerque. And, with a child._

_Disclaimer: All characters, places, and references are purely affiliated to the High School Musical series. Everything you read is solely set for fictional and entertainment purposes._

* * *

_Baby Steps_

_Chapter Five_

Gabriella grabbed the brush from the sink and crouched down behind her daughter as she kept her hands on the edge of the counter. She began to brush Marlena's long hair slowly, admiring how soft it felt and how shiny it looked. Though she looked like her mother from the back, Gabriella only saw Troy in her face.

Her mind ran away as she thought about Troy. She really did love him. She always had and she always will. But, he didn't want to be with her anymore. He wanted to be around their daughter, but he didn't want to be with Gabriella the way that she wanted.

Marlena pursed her lips as she continued to let her mother brush her hair for the day. She was going to spend the day with Aunt Taylor and Uncle Chad while her mother looked at a new home. She was excited about moving to her mother's home. She always heard so many stories about her mother's life and she wanted to see it all in person.

But, there was something missing. She didn't have a daddy in her life. She always asked about her daddy, but her mother would say that he was on vacation. But, who took a long vacation like that? She was starting to get frustrated with it all. She was already four years old. She was getting older. She needed a daddy.

"Mommy?"

"Hmm?" hummed Gabriella.

Marlena had a small feeling that she knew who her daddy was, but she wasn't exactly sure. But, something in her mind and her little heart told her that her daddy had been here the entire time since she had come to her mother's home. She always looked at him and then looked at herself. There was a scary resemblance, but it fascinated her.

"Is Troy my daddy?" she asked.

Gabriella stopped brushing and caught her breath, shocked at her daughter's question. She composed herself. "Why do you ask, honey?"

Marlena shrugged as her mother began putting her hair up in a ponytail. "I don't know. I think he'd make a pretty good daddy. I want him to be my daddy."

"You do?" Gabriella turned Marlena around to face her.

Marlena smiled and nodded. "He's very nice. And, he made you happy yesterday. Plus, he does a really good job with coloring inside the lines."

Gabriella giggled and sighed. "Oh, gosh."

Marlena looked at her mother for a moment. "Do you and Troy love each other like Aladdin and Jasmine?"

"Um…"

"What's this about Aladdin and Jasmine?" asked Troy, coming in the doorway. He picked up Marlena and hugged her. "Hey, you."

Marlena smiled at Troy. "Do you love my mommy?"

Troy glanced at Gabriella, chuckling lightly and nervously. He never wanted to lie to Marlena unless it had to be for a good reason like when it came to eating vegetables or the tooth fairy. "I know your mommy loves you. I believe you have a play date with Taylor and Chad."

"That's right!" said Gabriella, hoping to lead the conversation elsewhere. "Let's go find Taylor."

Troy carried Marlena out into the living room and set her down, watching as she ran over to Taylor. "What do you guys have planned for today?"

"We are taking her to see that new Disney movie with Rapunzel," said Chad, rolling his eyes.

Taylor hit his chest. "Hey. I want to see that, too."

"We'll let you guys know when we are on our way back," said Gabriella, getting her things together in her purse.

"Oh, no rush. You guys take _all _the time you need," smirked Taylor.

Gabriella gave her a look and shook her head. "Hey."

Troy looked at Gabriella after glancing at his watch. "We better get going."

"If you guys need anything, please let me know." Gabriella gave Marlena a kiss on her cheek. "You be good for Aunt Taylor and Uncle Chad."

"I will." Marlena smiled at Troy and ran over to him, hugging his legs. "Mommy looks pretty today, doesn't she?"

Troy patted Marlena's back and smiled, looking over at Gabriella as she began gathering a few papers for the realtor, completely oblivious to the conversation. He admired her pink dress, her beautiful curls, and her amazing body. God, she was so beautiful and so gorgeous. It was hard to be around her sometimes.

"Yeah. She does."

* * *

Troy opened the door for Gabriella as they walked into the Albuquerque realty office about fifteen minutes later. They looked around at the soft atmosphere with plush couches, a few oak desks, and too many brochures showing off houses.

"Gabriella!" A perky woman with a pixie haircut walked into the room. She smiled wider when she spotted Troy. "Oh! You brought your husband!"

Gabriella blushed madly. "I…"

Troy chuckled nervously. "We aren't married."

The realtor cleared her throat and nodded. "Well, I'm Becky. Are we ready to see the house?"

"Yes ma'am," said Gabriella, smiling. "Should we just follow you?"

"Yeah! Let's go!" she exclaimed, grabbing her keys and rushing out the door.

Troy furrowed his brows with humor and looked at Gabriella. "She kind of scares me."

Gabriella giggled and went with Troy outside to the car. "Aren't all realtors super excited about houses?"

"Not like her." He stopped at the passenger door, watching as Becky sped away. She nearly crashed into a tree. He looked at Gabriella and waved his finger around in his ear. "Coo-coo!"

* * *

"Here it is."

The house was purely white stone on the outside with a beautiful garden in the front. It was part of a really nice neighborhood, so Gabriella definitely liked that. She wanted Marlena to have friends and she definitely didn't want to be alone without knowing some new people. When she walked inside the house, she was met with a winding staircase from the foyer that led to a carpeted upstairs.

"We have four bedrooms upstairs and two bathrooms. Down this way is the kitchen," said Becky, walking down a narrow hallway with pure marble floors.

"Nice pick," murmured Troy, smiling at Gabriella as he followed Becky.

Gabriella watched them go, but she was only concerned about one thing for her new house. She walked up the stairs, liking that they were carpeted. Marlena had a clumsy side, thanks to her mother. She searched through the many doors upstairs until she finally found the perfect room.

Her daughter's room.

The carpet was white, the walls were a light pink, and there was a window that overlooked a river down from the neighborhood. It was absolutely perfect. She could picture her daughter sleeping here, playing with her dolls, or just listening to her mother read a book.

"This is it," she murmured.

"What is?" asked Troy, coming up beside her.

Gabriella gasped and swatted at his chest, giggling. "Don't do that. No, this is Marlena's room. This is it."

Troy looked at and walked farther into the room, nodding. He stared at one space of wall. "Her name can go here. You know, as wall art. It can go right above her bed."

She smiled at Troy and nodded. Her heart was starting to race at the very fact that he was planning _their _daughter's room. "Yeah. She likes butterflies, you know."

"Well of course she does."

She furrowed her brows. "How do you know?"

He smiled at her. "You like butterflies."

Gabriella was well aware of the fact that he had gotten closer to her. She walked down the hallway and opened a door that was right next to Marlena's room. "I was thinking this could be the master bedroom."

Troy nodded and pressed his lips together. "Do you need to buy furniture?"

"No. I'm having my furniture delivered here soon," she explained.

"What kind of bed do you have?" he asked.

Gabriella stared at him for a moment. It seemed to have gotten hotter in the room. "King."

"Pretty big. Does Marlena sleep with you?" asked Troy cautiously. He was taking major risks here, but he couldn't stop the word vomit.

"No. She's a big girl. She likes to sleep in her own bed."

"So, you sleep by yourself in a big bed."

Gabriella simply nodded as he got closer to her. She bit her lip as his head inclined down towards her, their breaths matching up. What was going on? Why was he doing this? Why did she want this?

"Gabriella…" he whispered, cautiously reaching up to caress her cheek.

She could barely take it anymore. "God, just kiss me already Troy. Don't make me wait any longer."

"So!" Becky shouted from downstairs, her heels clacking on the floor.

Troy and Gabriella jumped apart at her voice, refusing to meet eyes. They were embarrassed and nervous. What had just happened?

Gabriella quickly went downstairs, acting as if everything was perfectly normal. "The house is fantastic. I'll take it."

Becky grinned. "Great! Let's sign some papers!"

Troy came downstairs and grabbed Gabriella's hand as Becky walked away to get the papers. "Gabriella."

She stared at their hands, loving the way his skin still made her nerves go crazy after all these years. "Yes?"

"Do you want to have lunch with me after this?" he asked, smiling.

She stared at his smile and his magnificent blue eyes and nodded. It was probably going to kill her in the end, but she answered, "Yes."

* * *

Troy decided to take her to a small café that he had been to quite a few times in the past two years. Granted, he had been one of the first few customers when it had opened that many years ago. They had wonderful food, to die for drinks, and the best customer service you could probably get in Albuquerque. Soft jazz played in the background from the speakers, there were couches for people to lounge, and multiple small tables big enough for two.

"This place looks so cozy," complimented Gabriella, sitting across from her with an herbal tea that she had ordered at the counter.

Troy nodded and sipped his tea. "Yeah. I come here once a week. I try to, at least. It keeps me calm."

Gabriella looked at him. "You seem better since…last time."

"I am. I haven't had a drink since then. I want to be good for Marlena," he started. "It was so hard being by myself after you left me. I mean, my parents moved to be closer to their family. All I have is the gang, but they have their jobs."

"Do you have a job?" asked Gabriella.

Troy nodded. "Yeah. I'm a writer."

Her eyebrows shot up in shock. "A writer?" She smiled. "Wow. I remember how often you used to write during class. Are you still focusing on thrillers?"

Troy smiled at her memory and nodded. "Yeah. I don't have a publisher yet, but I'm working on it. I send out queries every now and then."

"You're a great writer, Troy. Just don't forget us little people when you become famous," she teased, smiling.

He chuckled and shook his head. "I'd never forget you."

Gabriella looked down and smiled sheepishly. "I don't know how many times I need to apologize for breaking your heart, Troy. I was naïve back then. I should have trusted you more."

"It's in the past. Forget about it," said Troy, staring at her with intensity.

"It's hard to forget about it, Troy." She scoffed lightly. "We were supposed to go the distance." She chewed on her lip and looked him in the eyes. "I've never stopped loving you, Troy. I'm still in love with you."

Troy's heart honestly raced at her confession. He wasn't surprised, though. He was just afraid to fall for her again. Though, it wasn't stopping him. He had been falling all over for her again since she got back. And, he didn't really feel like standing back up from it all.

"Troy?" They both looked up to see a vivacious redhead with fake everything all over her body. She was wearing a totally inappropriate outfit for a family café and she was staring at Troy like he was a piece of meat.

Gabriella's heart sank as she touched his shoulder, obviously gripping his muscles.

"Hi," said Troy, feeling embarrassed. This wasn't happening.

"Don't act like you don't know me, Troy. I saw you just last week," she smirked.

Gabriella looked at Troy, appalled. It didn't take a while for her to realize that Troy had slept with this girl. This…fake Barbie doll.

"Kyra, this is Gabriella." Troy desperately wished he was somewhere else right now.

Kyra eyed Gabriella. "Hi." She turned back to Troy. "So, when can we meet up again?"

"I don't know," he muttered.

She looked between the two with a slight smirk. "I get it. I'll just see you later."

Gabriella, once again, watched with her mouth agape as Kyra planted a kiss on Troy's lips. Obviously, she was trying to make Gabriella jealous.

It worked.

Troy watched Kyra leave and then turned to Gabriella, completely embarrassed for the both of them. He didn't want Gabriella to know about any of his past after her. It wasn't pretty. Kyra was definitely a major part of the uglier sides of his past.

Gabriella scoffed lightly. "Well, that was lovely. I think I have lost my appetite."

"Gabriella, don't." Troy sighed.

She began to gather her things together, standing up in a huff. "This was a bad idea. All of this was a bad idea."

Troy quickly left a tip on the table and rushed after Gabriella as she stormed out of the café, causing a few people to stare. He caught up with her on the sidewalk and grabbed her hand. "Stop!"

She glared at him. "I can't believe you, Troy! Do you know how much that hurts? First of all, you are setting a bad example for Marlena. Second of all, you are making me think that you are in love with me. You know how I feel about you!"

"Don't you pull that shit with me, Gabriella." Troy let go of her hand. "I'd do anything for our little girl. Anyway, you left me. You lied to me. How was I supposed to know if you were still in love with me?"

She chuckled dryly. "Come on, Troy. Do you honestly think I could forget about you like you forgot about me?"

"Forgot about you? You never left my mind, Gabriella. It's kind of hard to forget about somebody who you wanted to _propose _to," he fired back.

"Don't go back to that, Troy. You are just making things difficult. I didn't expect things to go back to the way they were when I came back, but I had hope for a little while. But, I guess you don't love me anymore. You just…" She lost her train of thought. She didn't even know what to say anymore. "I don't know."

Troy couldn't take it anymore. He gripped her shoulders gently and kissed her on the mouth. It was like fire was coursing through his veins as their mouths touched for the briefest moment. Gabriella was becoming enveloped in the kiss until she pushed him back, suddenly realizing what was going on.

Troy had kissed her. And, he was sober. It was real.

"You shouldn't have done that," she murmured, turning away as she touched her lips in shock and ecstasy.

He gripped her hand gently, but she kept her eyes away from his. "Gabriella, I'll admit you broke my heart. But, that doesn't mean my love for you went away."

She turned to him slowly. "What?"

"I love you, Gabriella."

Gabriella just looked at him as they stood there in the middle of the street, completely unaware of anybody else around them. She looked into his passionate blue irises and simply mouthed with trembling lips, "Oh."


	7. Chapter 6

_Summary: Gabriella and Troy used to be high school sweethearts until she left him, claiming she had to move. Now, 4 years later, she has returned to Albuquerque. And, with a child._

_Disclaimer: All characters, places, and references are purely affiliated to the High School Musical series. Everything you read is solely set for fictional and entertainment purposes._

* * *

_Baby Steps_

_Chapter Six_

Troy used Gabriella's back to slam the front door shut in his apartment. Her thighs were around his waist as he gripped her bottom, attacking her lips with his own. Their vocal cords elicited high with moans as the ecstasy between their bodies combined, creating one hell of a fire.

Immediately after Troy had said he loved her, he kissed her again. And, she accepted it. It was the hardest thing he ever had to do when he drove to his apartment; refusing to touch or kiss her. The drive to his apartment was at least fifteen minutes and once they got out of the vehicle, their lips met again. Her shoes were already off, as were his. His jacket was off and her hair was already a sexy mess. It was the hottest kiss they had ever experienced together. It had been four long years.

Gabriella gripped his shirt and yanked at it, begging him to rip it off. She wanted him. She had always wanted him. She was in love with him. She always had been.

Troy reluctantly let her go as her feet touched the floor and took off his shirt, tossing it to the ground. He tilted his head back and moaned in appreciation as Gabriella ran her hands over his chest and abs. She was making his body feel new and familiar things that he had definitely missed for four years.

He exhaled heavily and stopped her, taking her dress off to reveal her matching pink lingerie. The bra accented her breasts perfectly and she had the most perfect body. It was like nothing had changed. She was still as sexy as ever.

"Take me to your bedroom," murmured Gabriella, touching his chest.

Troy grinned and cradled her in his arms as he scurried to his bedroom. He landed with her on the bed and hovered over her body, continuing to kiss her lips. Their bodies were already producing sweat as their hips and groin met, writhing together as their hormones drove them wild.

Gabriella exhaled heavily as Troy began to kiss her chest, inadvertently removing her bra. He continued to pepper kisses along her skin as he trailed up and down. Her skin felt and tasted amazing. It just made him want her even more.

He sighed softly. "I love you. Gabriella, I love you so much. I've wanted this for so long."

She stared into his heavy and passionate eyes, biting her bottom lip as her breathing became heavy. "Take me, Troy. Take all of me."

"You don't have to tell me twice," he breathed out.

Gabriella gripped his boxers and pulled them down, revealing his familiar and strong member. She giggled as he eagerly removed her underwear. Without even giving a simple warning, not like it was needed, Troy slipped into her as he sat both of their bodies up.

Gabriella moaned out loud as she wrapped her legs around his waist, gripping his muscular body as their bodies moved together as if it was a beautiful symphony. It felt like no time had passed, yet it was just as amazing and unforgettable.

"God, you feel so good," he whispered, nipping at her skin as he went a bit faster but even more gentle.

She opened her eyes as she stared at his beautiful blue irises. They kept their eyes on each other as they continued to move, their breaths matching together as their hormones caught up with each other. She arched her back as he moved deeper inside of her, her nails grinding into his skin.

"Damn," he murmured, bringing her entire body flush against his.

It was like a dream. A beautiful, beautiful dream. They weren't in reality anymore. They were in their own fantasy; a fantasy they had only dreamed about for the past four years. Everything was falling into place for them. No more fights, no more avoidance, and no more stupidity.

They were together.

They both came together in sweet harmony, clutching each other close and lovingly for the next few minutes until it was over. They finally collapsed on the bed, still holding each other. They stayed in comfortable silence, still trying to catch their breath.

Gabriella nuzzled her head to his chest, drawing imaginary figures on his skin. "You know, the last time I had sex was when I conceived Marlena."

Troy looked at her in amazement. "Are you kidding? Four years? Gabriella, you are a beautiful woman. Why did you not have sex for that long?"

She looked at him with a slight pause. "I waited for you."

"You knew we'd be back together?" he asked softly with amazement. Sure, he had always wished she would come back. But, he had never been too sure. Every time he would have sex with someone else, he would regret it. It'd feel like he was cheating on her.

She shrugged. "I always hoped. I mean, it doesn't matter if we were high school sweethearts. We were in love." She paused. "We still are."

He smiled and nodded, stroking her cheek. "I have always been in love with you."

* * *

A few hours later, Gabriella turned over in bed to see Troy was fast asleep in the nude. She smirked at his appearance and kissed his cheek before sitting up. She noticed a dresser and opened one of the drawers, finding an old Wildcat t-shirt. She smelled it and admired the familiar, musky scent before slipping it over her body. She then got out of bed and decided to explore his apartment.

Things looked pretty normal. He had photos of friends, basketball trophies, movies, music, television, and furniture. He still had the same taste. She perused his kitchen cabinets, noting how he still liked to eat healthy. However, when she opened one particular cabinet that held some towels, she found a box with the Wildcat logo. Curiosity getting the best of her, she took it out and opened it.

Her smile dropped.

He had kept photos of them together dating all the way back to freshman year when they had started to date. There were even photos of just her. Love letters, her class ring, and the corsage from prom. He had kept everything that they had in their relationship. She picked up a photograph of them from senior year. They were at the park and looking at each other lovingly as if there was nobody else in the world.

It was the same day that Marlena had been conceived.

"Gabriella."

She turned to see Troy wearing his boxers and looking at her and the box. He then kept his eyes on her and she suddenly realized her cheeks were wet. She had been crying. She looked at the box in her hands. "I just…I was curious."

Troy sighed and walked over to her, taking the box. "I sometimes looked at these memories when I felt alone. So, I looked at them every day."

"Every day?" Gabriella exhaled a broken breath as her crying continued.

He set the box down and cupped her cheeks with concern. "Hey. Why are you crying? What's wrong?"

"That!" she exclaimed, pointing to the box. She moved past him and suddenly began grabbing her clothes and changing back into her dress.

Troy watched her, confused. "What are you talking about?"

"This was a mistake, Troy. Us sleeping together, lunch, looking at the house? We can't get close to each other." She paused after slipping her shoes back on. She looked at the box. "We can't be those people anymore, Troy. It's impossible."

Troy felt like his heart was breaking all over again. "It's not impossible."

Gabriella opened the front door and stopped when Kyra appeared at the door. She looked particularly put together for Troy. She turned to him and shook her head. "We will never be the same people again. We are different people. Four years is a long time, Troy. We can't forgive ourselves."

Troy watched her storm past Kyra and sighed, looking up at the ceiling. Whatever happened to a few hours ago? They had such a wonderful time together and it was still stuck on his mind. He thought this was the renewal of their love.

Why did things have to be so complicated?

* * *

Gabriella stormed into Taylor and Chad's living quarters, completely fuming. But, she wasn't mad at Troy. She was mad at herself. She was ready to love Troy again and she wanted to be with him. But, her stupid mind and fears had to conquer everything all because of some stupid box.

Chad rushed into the living room at hearing the slam of the door. "Hey!" He lowered his voice to a whisper. "Marlena is sleeping. What's up?"

"Everything," she muttered, sitting down on the couch and putting her face in her hands. "Where is Taylor?"

"She went out for groceries." He sat next to her. "What happened?" He glanced at her slight bedhead and gasped with a smirk growing on his face. "Gabriella Montez, you didn't!"

"Did what?"

"You _slept _with Troy!" he exclaimed.

Gabriella shushed him and sighed. "Yes. But, I regret it."

"Bull crap," he murmured, chuckling. "How was it?"

She couldn't help herself as she thought back to it. The way his skin touched hers. His kisses. His words. A smile formed on her face. "It was amazing."

"So, why aren't you still there?" asked Chad, nudging her shoulder.

"I can't be with him. We can't be together." She sighed. "I found a box that had all of our pictures and mementos in them. We were so happy and in love."

"You guys still are. Hence, why you made love." Chad furrowed his brows. "What's the problem?"

"Everything, Chad!" She lowered her voice again, not wanting to wake up Marlena. "We can't be those people anymore."

"So?"

Gabriella stared at him, confused. "So what?"

"Exactly." He scoffed lightly and smiled at her. "Gabriella, high school is over. You two have a child, okay? You're never going to be like those people again. But, it doesn't mean it can't be reincarnated into something even better."

She looked at the floor and closed her eyes, feeling exhausted. "Who was Kyra?"

Chad sighed heavily and shook his head with a slight laugh. "Don't even bother about Kyra. He had _one _drunken night with her three years ago and she keeps stalking him at every corner. Don't believe a single word she says."

"I just don't know."

He pulled out his phone and started sifting through the text messages from Troy before holding out his phone for Gabriella to see. "These text messages are from the last two years. All he talked about, drunk or sober, was how much he missed and loved you. You know him, Gabriella. He's stubborn, but he never stopped loving you. He always wanted you and he still does."

Gabriella stared at the text messages where Troy professed his love for her, where he said he missed her, and where he had almost promised he would look for her. A tear fell on to the phone screen as she handed it back to Chad.

"No relationship is perfect, but you and Troy have an undeniable connection that can't be surpassed. Love is about taking chances." He gestured toward Marlena's room. "That little girl is the biggest chance you'd ever take on that love."

* * *

Troy stared at Kyra as he came back into the living room fully clothed. The box was still out and she was sifting through it with a sneer on her face. "What are you doing here?"

"You know why," she said. She held up the photo that Gabriella had seen. "So, you had a fling with that little one?"

"She was never a fling," he said, snatching the photo and the box from her hands. "Get out."

Kyra scoffed and smiled. She walked towards him, trailing her fingers slowly on his chest. "Oh, please. You know we had fun."

"It was one night. I was drunk. I needed something to do. You were just in the way and I chose you. Nothing came out of it," he growled angrily.

Kyra was barely offended. "So what? I like to be someone's little toy. So, why don't we go into your bedroom? I'll show you that I am much sexier and more fun to be around than that little one."

Troy pushed her fingers away and stormed to the door. "Nobody is sexier or more fun than Gabriella. I don't want you and I never will. Now get out."

She kept her smirk and walked towards the exit. "Fine. But, when she breaks your heart again, you know where to find me."

He watched her leave and slammed the door shut, sighing in exasperation. He never knew that one girl could be so annoying. He carried the box and carefully put it back where it belonged as he attempted to blow off his steam.

Then, his cell phone rang.

Still upset, he answered it without looking at the caller ID. "What?"

Gabriella, on the other line, winced. "Wow. Are you that mad at me?"

Troy sobered immediately at the sound of her voice and sighed. "No. It's Kyra. She wouldn't leave."

"Oh."

"No. I didn't do anything with her. I promise. It was only one time," he swore.

"I know. Chad told me the story about her. He also showed me your text messages," she confessed.

He mentally cursed Chad. "Look…"

"Troy, I'm sorry. I was wrong to leave like that. I'm just scared, you know?" She shrugged. "I know we can't be like we were in high school."

"I know what you're saying. But, today felt so real to me okay? I meant it when I told you I loved you. I'm in love with you, Gabriella. I don't want you to be like I was before and stick with the past," he explained desperately.

"I understand, Troy." She paused and he almost asked if she was still there. "Do you want to go to the park with me and Marlena tomorrow?"

Troy smiled at the mention of his daughter and nodded. "Yeah. What time?"

"We'll be there at about noon," she confirmed.

"I'll be there."

"Great," she murmured.

"Great."

* * *

Troy sat on the park bench and checked his watch for the thirtieth time in that past five minute timeframe. He was a little early, but he was so excited to see both Gabriella and Marlena. He wondered why she wanted to meet, though. Probably just to have a little play date. He couldn't stop thinking about yesterday. His body and his heart felt so amazing. He really wanted to do it again, for lack of better terms.

He stood up slowly as he watched Gabriella and Marlena walk on to the grass. He smiled and waved, watching as they stopped so they could talk. Gabriella was crouched to Marlena's level and it looked like it was a really serious conversation. But, Marlena's expression turned from confused, to surprise, and then to excitement as she jumped up and down. She hugged her mother before taking off in a run towards Troy.

He didn't expect it to happen, but he immediately caught her in his arms and laughed as she hugged him tightly. "Hey, baby."

Marlena clutched his neck with her small arms and grinned, smiling at him. "Hi, daddy."

Troy's heart froze and his breath caught in his throat at her words. Did she just call him that? Was this a dream? He looked at Gabriella, who looked pretty tearful as she watched the two with a happy smile on her face. She nodded at him as if telling him it was okay.

He clutched Marlena in a bear hug as the tears fell down his cheek. He slowly walked toward Gabriella as he nodded, patting his daughter's back. "I'm your daddy."


	8. Chapter 7

_Summary: Gabriella and Troy used to be high school sweethearts until she left him, claiming she had to move. Now, 4 years later, she has returned to Albuquerque. And, with a child._

_Disclaimer: All characters, places, and references are purely affiliated to the High School Musical series. Everything you read is solely set for fictional and entertainment purposes._

* * *

_Baby Steps_

_Chapter Seven_

It was almost picturesque. Troy sat next to Gabriella on a park bench as they watched their little girl play in the sandbox only a couple of feet away. She was playing with other kids, obviously showcasing her natural way of making friends. He was already so proud of her, but who wouldn't be? She was raised her entire life by Gabriella. It made his heart a bit sad that he wasn't there for 100% of her life so far. But, he would change that. That little girl and Gabriella were now his entire life.

Gabriella looked over at Troy and admired the way he smiled as Marlena played. It was like he referred to her as an angel, which she was. When she was in high school, she had never seen him as a father figure. How could she have ever doubted him?

"Troy?" she asked quietly.

He glanced at her. "Hmm?"

"I'm sorry." She looked down at her hands, wringing her fingers together.

"What for?" he asked with furrowed brows.

"For everything that I put you through these past four years," she started. "I'm sorry that I doubted your strength as a father. I should have known better, Troy. You are in love with Marlena and that makes me so happy." She began to tear up as her voice cracked. "Knowing that her father loves her is the best thing that my heart could have."

Troy sighed. He never liked to see her cry. He scooted closer to her so their knees touched. "You don't have anything to be sorry for, okay?"

"I shouldn't have left yesterday like that. I was just scared of giving my heart back to you and I was scared that you didn't even want it. But, I should know better. I underestimate you too much, Troy. And, I'm sorry. I'm sorry," she murmured, shaking her head as the tears fell.

He gingerly lifted her chin so their eyes met. "Gabriella, I'll admit that when you left, I was heartbroken. To be honest, I never stopped loving you. I waited for the day you would come back and when you did, I was a complete jackass. I was bitter because I was waiting and I shouldn't have been.

"But, seeing you back here has made that bitterness completely evaporate. I've waited for you and now I finally have you. The past is the past, okay? There's no reason for us to bring it up again," he explained.

"I was scared you would run off if I had told you on the roof that day. You had basketball and I had a child in my belly at the age of eighteen," she whispered. "What would you have chosen?"

Troy chuckled lightly. "What would I have chosen? Gabriella, I'd choose you _and _our child to the moon and back. Nothing could ever change that."

He gently wiped away her tears and placed his hand carefully on her leg as he leaned towards her face slowly, looking at her lips. "I'm never going to leave you. I'm not going anywhere."

Gabriella let out a small gasp as Troy's lips came closer and closer to hers. She wanted to kiss him. She had missed his lips after yesterday. She missed it all. He wanted her. He wanted to be with her and he wanted to be a part of their family. It seemed like it was all a dream. She followed his lead and got closer to his lips, feeling his breath on her skin as the slightest touch from his mouth ignited her heart.

Troy immediately pulled away when he heard Marlena scream. He looked towards the sandbox and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw she was only laughing and playing with another girl. He dipped his head down and laughed breathlessly. "Man, that scared me."

Gabriella bit her bottom lip, wondering if he was going to try and kiss her again. "I bet."

He noticed her sullen tone and knew she was disappointed that they hadn't kissed. He was, too. He caressed her cheek and watched as she knelt into the touch. Her eyes closed and it almost seemed euphoric in his mind and his soul.

"God, I missed this," she murmured.

He smiled at her, keeping his hand on her cheek. "Go on a date with me."

Gabriella began to laugh out loud and shook her head. "Why?"

Troy scoffed playfully and chuckled. "Are you kidding me? Why do I need to have a reason? I want us to start over. I want to _romance _you."

"Oh, really?" Gabriella giggled. "You want to romance me?"

"Yes." Troy smiled at her. "We are adults now. We don't have a curfew, no parents to breathe down our necks, and no homework on the weeknights anymore. We can go and do whatever we want."

"Wow. You're really wanting to take me on a date?" she sighed. "Troy, I don't know. I can't put on a pretty dress without thinking about how awful I look."

Troy furrowed his brows with confusion. "Excuse me?"

"You know what I am talking about. Yesterday, you must have seen my cellulite, my stretch marks, or my horrible muffin top. I'm surprised you didn't say anything about it."

"Maybe it's because I didn't even notice that. You're perfect, Gabriella. Everything about you and your body is perfect. Honestly, I find you even more attractive because you had our child," he explained, bringing his hand down to her arm gently.

It sent shivers up and down her spine.

"So, what do you say?" He smirked. "Go out with me, Gabriella Montez. Tonight."

"Tonight? What about Marlena?" asked Gabriella. It wasn't like she was trying to make excuses not to go. She was just nervous. This was her old boyfriend that she was still in love with. Not mention they had had a one night stand yesterday.

"Taylor and Chad can watch her." Troy pressed his forehead against hers. His heart started to beat fast at how close they were. He was dying to kiss her, but he couldn't. He needed to take it slow. Regardless of yesterday. "Just go out with me. Say yes. Say. Yes."

She looked into his perfect blue eyes and turned into mush. "Okay. I'll go."

* * *

"I can't _believe _I am going!" shouted Gabriella later that evening, pacing back and forth in her room while trying to zip up her strapless, red dress.

Taylor watched her from the bed. "Will you calm down? It's only Troy."

"Calm down?" She scoffed lightly as she finally hooked the zipper up. "This is not _just _Troy. This is my high school boyfriend, Taylor! My out of high school, graduated, still sexy, perfect blue eyed _ex-_boyfriend!"

"He won't be your ex-boyfriend for much longer," smirked Taylor.

Gabriella stopped curling her hair and looked at her. "Excuse me?"

"Don't give me that look. You have never gotten over Troy and he has never gotten over you. Come on. We aren't blind. We see the way you two look at each other," explained Taylor.

"Even Sharpay?"

"Even Sharpay."

Gabriella sat down on the bed and sighed, trying her hardest not to ruin her makeup as tears welled in her eyes. "Taylor, I'm scared. I don't want us to lose each other again. What if I make another mistake?"

"Honey, I think you have learned your lesson. That boy loves you," she said. "He is never going to leave your side."

"You think so?"

"I _know _so."

There was a knock on the door from the living room and then two male voices mingled together happily. Gabriella stood up quickly and chewed on her nail. "He's here!"

"What are you? Fifteen?" asked Taylor incredulously.

"I feel like it," she sighed. She smoothed out her curls and her dress that hugged her curves.

Taylor smiled. "Troy is going to fall to his knees when he sees you."

Gabriella watched her leave and sighed, looking at herself one more time in the mirror. She had to admit. She did look good. Her legs looked long with her heels, her dress hugged in her love handles, and her chest looked phenomenal. She knew that was Troy's favorite part.

"I can do this. It's just Troy," she murmured.

She exhaled a shaky breath and walked towards the living room with her purse between her hands. She peered around the corner to see Chad conversing with Troy. He looked so handsome. He was wearing a pair of dark jeans, a blue buttoned shirt, and one gorgeous smile that she couldn't take her eyes off of. God, that shirt looked good on him. She could almost see his taut muscles underneath.

She finally walked into the living room with a smile, not even looking at Troy. "Hi."

Troy stared at her with his mouth open. He was pretty sure that he was drooling at that point, but she looked so incredible. She looked gorgeous and sexy in that dress and he knew that she chose red because he always told her she looked good in that color. Her legs looked delicious and he tried his best not to think about yesterday.

Their eyes finally met and it was like the room had been set on fire.

"Hey," he breathed out.

"Hi," she murmured.

Chad cleared his throat and began pushing them out. "Okay. Marlena does not need to come out of her room with you two on the floor naked. Goodbye and have a great time!"

The door slammed shut behind them as they stood on the steps together. Troy glanced down at her hand and laced his fingers with her own, rubbing his thumb against her knuckles. He kissed it gently.

"You look amazing," he complimented.

Gabriella's heart was racing. "Thank you. So do you."

Troy cleared his throat and led her down to the driveway. "Ready to go?"

She furrowed her brows. "Uh, are we walking? My shoes aren't the best."

He chuckled and shook his head. "We aren't walking." He glanced down the road with a smirk.

Gabriella followed his gaze and gasped. There, sitting no more than ten feet from their feet, was a black stretch limo and a chauffeur holding open the door for them with a jolly smile on his face. "Troy! You got a _limo_?! It's just a date!"

"It's the date that will bring us together again," he promised, smiling at her. He offered his arm and led her to the vehicle. "You first."

Gabriella got into the limo and marveled at the feel and look of the interior. There was a bottle of champagne, two glasses, a small television, and soft music. It was absolutely romantic. She watched as Troy got in and sat on the other side of her, straightening out his shirt.

"So, where are we going?" she asked, eying the champagne. It looked like it would taste good.

"None of that yet. We are having dinner first." He smiled. "I know exactly the place."

* * *

**DONATE! projects/significance-pilot**

**So sorry for the late update! Fanfiction was being whack yesterday! Hopefully this cute chapter will make up for it (:**


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